Judges 1-7 (Translated)

Chapter 1[edit]

Verse	King James Version	Proposed Conservative Translation	Analysis
1	Now after the death of Joshua it came to pass, that the children of Israel asked the LORD, saying, Who shall go up for us against the Canaanites first, to fight against them?	After the death of Joshua, the children of Israel asked the LORD "Who among us should be first to go and fight the Canaanites?"
2	And the LORD said, Judah shall go up: behold, I have delivered the land into his hand.	The LORD answered, "The men of Judah will go, for this I will give them their land."
3	And Judah said unto Simeon his brother, Come up with me into my lot, that we may fight against the Canaanites; and I likewise will go with thee into thy lot. So Simeon went with him.	The men of Judah sought out the Men of Simeon for help "Brothers, if you help us fight for the land God has given us, we will help fight for your land." The men of Simeon agreed to join the men of Judah.
4	And Judah went up; and the LORD delivered the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their hand: and they slew of them in Bezek ten thousand men.	When the men of Judah attacked, the LORD handed them an overwhelming victory over the Canaanites and the Perizzites. The men of Judah killed 10,000 men in the city of Bezek alone.
5	And they found Adoni-bezek in Bezek: and they fought against him, and they slew the Canaanites and the Perizzites.	After finishing off the last of the Canaanites and Perizzites in Bezek, the men of Judah tracked down the mayor of Bezek and fought with him.
6	But Adoni-bezek fled; and they pursued after him, and caught him, and cut off his thumbs and his great toes.	The mayor of Bezek tried to flee, but the men of Judah caught up with him and cut off his thumbs and big toes as punishment.
7	And Adoni-bezek said, Threescore and ten kings, having their thumbs and their great toes cut off, gathered their meat under my table: as I have done, so God hath requited me. And they brought him to Jerusalem, and there he died.	The mayor of Bezek cried "I have cut off the thumbs and toes of 70 kings; and made them eat the scraps that fell from my dinner table. Now God has repaid me for what I have done!" The men of Judah took him to Jerusalem with them, where he later died.
8	Now the children of Judah had fought against Jerusalem, and had taken it, and smitten it with the edge of the sword, and set the city on fire.	Arriving in Jerusalem, the Sons of Judah attacked and conquered the city. They killed its residents with their swords and set fire to their buildings.
9	And afterward the children of Judah went down to fight against the Canaanites, that dwelt in the mountain, and in the south, and in the valley.	Afterword the Sons of Judah went out and fought against the Canaanites that lived in the hills and valleys surrounding the city of Jerusalem.
10	And Judah went against the Canaanites that dwelt in Hebron: (now the name of Hebron before was Kirjath-arba:) and they slew Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai.	They also fought the Canaanites that lived in the city of Hebron (once known as Kirijath Arba). There they defeated the giants Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai.	Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai were male descendants of Anak (a nephilim). See Num 13:22
11	And from thence he went against the inhabitants of Debir: and the name of Debir before was Kirjath-sepher:	From Hebron, the men of Judah marched upon the city of Debir; which was known as Kirjath Sepher in those days.
12	And Caleb said, He that smiteth Kirjath-sepher, and taketh it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter to wife.	Before their attack, they met a man named Caleb. Caleb made the men an offer "I will give my daughter Acsah in marriage to whoever conquers the city of Kijath Sepher".
13	And Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother, took it: and he gave him Achsah his daughter to wife.	In then end, it was Caleb's nephew Othniel, son of Kenaz, that conquered the city. So Caleb gave him Acsah to take as his wife.
14	And it came to pass, when she came to him, that she moved him to ask of her father a field: and she lighted from off her ass; and Caleb said unto her, What wilt thou?	One day Acsah sought Othniel's permission to ask her father for some land. She rode to Caleb's house, and after getting off of her donkey, her father asked "What can I help you with?"
15	And she said unto him, Give me a blessing: for thou hast given me a south land; give me also springs of water. And Caleb gave her the upper springs and the nether springs.	Acsah spoke "I need a favor father. The land you have given me is dry desert. I would also like springs of water." So Caleb gave her the upper and lower springs that were in that region.
16	And the children of the Kenite, Moses' father in law, went up out of the city of palm trees with the children of Judah into the wilderness of Judah, which lieth in the south of Arad; and they went and dwelt among the people.	The descendants of Moses' father-in-law were known as the Kenite. The Kenites left the city of Jericho, along with the Sons of Judah, to go live among the people of Judah in the deserts south of Arad.
17	And Judah went with Simeon his brother, and they slew the Canaanites that inhabited Zephath, and utterly destroyed it. And the name of the city was called Hormah.	The Sons of Judah and Simeon knew there were Canaanites living in the city of Zephath, so they killed them all and completely annihilated the city. They then renamed the city Hormah.	Hormah can mean "completely destroyed","devoted to destruction", or "given unto God".
18	Also Judah took Gaza with the coast thereof, and Askelon with the coast thereof, and Ekron with the coast thereof.	The Sons of Judah would go on to conquer the cities of Gaza, Askelon, and Ekron, along with all of the surrounding towns and villages.
19	And the LORD was with Judah; and he drave out the inhabitants of the mountain; but could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley, because they had chariots of iron.	The LORD was with the men of Judah as they drove out the people living in the mountains. Yet, they could not drive out the residents of the valley because they made use of chariots fitted with iron.
20	And they gave Hebron unto Caleb, as Moses said: and he expelled thence the three sons of Anak.	The tribe of Judah gave the city of Hebron to the descendants of Caleb, just as Moses had promised. After taking control of the city, they drove out the descendants of Anak.
21	And the children of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites that inhabited Jerusalem; but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Benjamin in Jerusalem unto this day.	The Sons of Benjamin were unable to drive out the Jebusites that lived in Jerusalem. So the Jebusites live among the tribe of Benjamin in Jeruslem even to this day.
22	And the house of Joseph, they also went up against Bethel: and the LORD was with them.	With God's blessing, the descendants of Joseph went into battle against the city of Bethel.
23	And the house of Joseph sent to descry Bethel. (Now the name of the city before was Luz.)	They sent spies to gather intelligence pertaining to Bethel, which was called Luz in those days.
24	And the spies saw a man come forth out of the city, and they said unto him, Shew us, we pray thee, the entrance into the city, and we will shew thee mercy.	The spies detained a man leaving the city and struck a bargain with him: "Show us a secret way into the city, and no harm will come to you or your family".
25	And when he shewed them the entrance into the city, they smote the city with the edge of the sword; but they let go the man and all his family.	The man showed them the secret entrance into the city. The tribe of Joseph destroyed the city, but kept their word to the man and let him and his family go free.
26	And the man went into the land of the Hittites, and built a city, and called the name thereof Luz: which is the name thereof unto this day.	Upon gaining his freedom, the man traveled to the land of Hittites where he founded a new city. He named the city Luz, which bear that name to this day.
27	Neither did Manasseh drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shean and her towns, nor Taanach and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Dor and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Ibleam and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Megiddo and her towns: but the Canaanites would dwell in that land.	There were Canaanites living in the cities of Beth Shean, Taanach, Dor, Ibleam, and Megiddo, along with the neighboring towns and villages. They refused to leave; and the people of Manasseh were unable to force them out.
28	And it came to pass, when Israel was strong, that they put the Canaanites to tribute, and did not utterly drive them out.	Eventually, Israel grew strong enough to force the Canaanites into indentured servitude. However, they were unable to drive them out completely.
29	Neither did Ephraim drive out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer; but the Canaanites dwelt in Gezer among them.	The Ephraimits were also unable to completely drive out the Canaanites that lived among them in the city of Gezer.
30	Neither did Zebulun drive out the inhabitants of Kitron, nor the inhabitants of Nahalol; but the Canaanites dwelt among them, and became tributaries.	Nor could the Zebulunites drive the Canaanites from the cities of Kitron and Nahalol; but the Canaanites that remained were made into indentured servants.
31	Neither did Asher drive out the inhabitants of Accho, nor the inhabitants of Zidon, nor of Ahlab, nor of Achzib, nor of Helbah, nor of Aphik, nor of Rehob:	The people Asher did not drive out the Canaanites living in the cities of Accho, Zidon, Ahlab, Achzib, Helbah, Aphik, or Rehob.
32	But the Asherites dwelt among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land: for they did not drive them out.	Instead the people of Asher lived beside the Canaanites.
33	Neither did Naphtali drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh, nor the inhabitants of Beth-anath; but he dwelt among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land: nevertheless the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh and of Beth-anath became tributaries unto them.	Nor could the tribe of Naphtali drive the Canaanites from the cities of Beth Shemesh and Beth Anath; but the Canaanites that remained were made into indentured servants.
34	And the Amorites forced the children of Dan into the mountain: for they would not suffer them to come down to the valley:	Meanwhile, the Amorites drove the Sons of Dan into the mountains, and would not allow them to travel down into the valley.
35	But the Amorites would dwell in mount Heres in Aijalon, and in Shaalbim: yet the hand of the house of Joseph prevailed, so that they became tributaries.	The Amorites lived near Mount Heres in the area of Aijalon and Shaalbim. In time, the descendants of Joseph grew strong and were able to overthrow the Amorites and force them into servitude.
36	And the coast of the Amorites was from the going up to Akrabbim, from the rock, and upward.	The borders of the Amorites' land extended from Scorpian Pass to the hill country beyond Sela.

Chapter 2[edit]

Verse	King James Version	Proposed Conservative Translation	Analysis
1	And an angel of the LORD came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said, I made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you unto the land which I sware unto your fathers; and I said, I will never break my covenant with you.	An angel traveled from the city of Gilgal to Bokim to deliver a message from the LORD; "I brought you out of Egypt to the land of Israel, and I told you that I would never break my covenant with you."
2	And ye shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land; ye shall throw down their altars: but ye have not obeyed my voice: why have ye done this?	"In return, the children of Israel were to make no alliances with the people of this land. Instead you were to destroy their altars. Why have you not done as you were told?"
3	Wherefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be as thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto you.	"I will now tell you this; I will no longer drive these people from this land. They will become a burden to you, and their false gods will serve as a distraction".
4	And it came to pass, when the angel of the LORD spake these words unto all the children of Israel, that the people lifted up their voice, and wept.	After the angel had delivered the message from the LORD, all of the children of Israel wept loudly.
5	And they called the name of that place Bochim: and they sacrificed there unto the LORD.	In their sorrow, they named that place Bokim, and offered sacrifices to the LORD.	Bokim means "weepers" in Hebrew.
6	And when Joshua had let the people go, the children of Israel went every man unto his inheritance to possess the land.	Joshua told his people to return to their homes, so the children of Israel returned to the lands the LORD had given them.
7	And the people served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the LORD, that he did for Israel.	And the people served the LORD for the rest of Joshua's life, and the lives of the elders that had outlived him. For these men had seen all of the great works the LORD had done for Israel.
8	And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being an hundred and ten years old.	And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died at the age of 110 years old.
9	And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnath-heres, in the mount of Ephraim, on the north side of the hill Gaash.	And the children of Israel buried Joshua on the land that he had been given at Timnath Heres, in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash.
10	And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the LORD, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel.	In time, this generation died, and a new generation grew to replace them. This new generation did not know the LORD, and were ignorant of all He had done for Israel.
11	And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim:	The children of Israel fell into evil and began to worship the false god Ba'al.
12	And they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, which brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, of the gods of the people that were round about them, and bowed themselves unto them, and provoked the LORD to anger.	They abandoned the God of their ancestors, the one that had brought them from Egypt, and began to follow other gods. They worshiped the false gods from the surrounding lands, which angered the LORD.
13	And they forsook the LORD, and served Baal and Ashtaroth.	They no longer followed the LORD, but worshiped Ba'al and Ashtoreth instead.
14	And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them, and he sold them into the hands of their enemies round about, so that they could not any longer stand before their enemies.	The LORD's anger with Israel was so great He allowed criminals to plunder their possessions, and made the children of Israel powerless to defend themselves from their enemies.
15	Whithersoever they went out, the hand of the LORD was against them for evil, as the LORD had said, and as the LORD had sworn unto them: and they were greatly distressed.	Whenever the children of Israel went out to fight, the LORD was no longer on their side, just as He had promised. Israel suffered greatly.
16	Nevertheless the LORD raised up judges, which delivered them out of the hand of those that spoiled them.	Despite their disobedience the Lord appointed judges who would save the children of Israel from their tormentors.
17	And yet they would not hearken unto their judges, but they went a whoring after other gods, and bowed themselves unto them: they turned quickly out of the way which their fathers walked in, obeying the commandments of the LORD; but they did not so.	Yet they would not listen to their judges, instead they whored themselves to other gods and bowed before them. They shunned the ways of their ancestors, who had remained faithful to the LORD.
18	And when the LORD raised them up judges, then the LORD was with the judge, and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge: for it repented the LORD because of their groanings by reason of them that oppressed them and vexed them.	Each time tormentors caused the children of Israel to cry out for help, the LORD would feel sorry for them and appoint a new judge to save them from their enemies. And the LORD was with these judges as long as they lived.
19	And it came to pass, when the judge was dead, that they returned, and corrupted themselves more than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them, and to bow down unto them; they ceased not from their own doings, nor from their stubborn way.	Yet whenever the judge would die, the children of Israel would return to their wicked and sinful ways. They would resume their worship of false gods; for they were stubborn and set in their ways.
20	And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel; and he said, Because that this people hath transgressed my covenant which I commanded their fathers, and have not hearkened unto my voice;	Once again God became angry with Israel, and He said to them "This nation has broken the promise I made with your ancestors and you have not listened to Me."
21	I also will not henceforth drive out any from before them of the nations which Joshua left when he died:	"Therefor I will no longer protect you from the enemy nations which left after the death of Joshua"
22	That through them I may prove Israel, whether they will keep the way of the LORD to walk therein, as their fathers did keep it, or not.	"With these nations I will test Israel, and I will see if you will keep the way of the LORD as your ancestors once did".
23	Therefore the LORD left those nations, without driving them out hastily; neither delivered he them into the hand of Joshua.	So the LORD allowed those nations to remain in the land, and did not help the descendants of Joshua to drive them out.

Chapter 3[edit]

Verse	King James Version	Proposed Conservative Translation	Analysis
1	Now these are the nations which the LORD left, to prove Israel by them, even as many of Israel as had not known all the wars of Canaan;	The nations that remained were allowed to challenge the Israel, in an attempt to strengthen the children of Israel who had not tasted battle against the Canaanites.
2	Only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at the least such as before knew nothing thereof;	This was done to teach the children of Israel the hard-won lessons of warfare, of which, the youngest among them knew nothing.
3	Namely, five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and the Hivites that dwelt in mount Lebanon, from mount Baal-hermon unto the entering in of Hamath.
4	And they were to prove Israel by them, to know whether they would hearken unto the commandments of the LORD, which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.
5	And the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, Hittites, and Amorites, and Perizzites, and Hivites, and Jebusites:
6	And they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their daughters to their sons, and served their gods.
7	And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and forgat the LORD their God, and served Baalim and the groves.
8	Therefore the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Chushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia: and the children of Israel served Chushan-rishathaim eight years.
9	And when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer to the children of Israel, who delivered them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother.
10	And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he judged Israel, and went out to war: and the LORD delivered Chushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand; and his hand prevailed against Chushan-rishathaim.
11	And the land had rest forty years. And Othniel the son of Kenaz died.
12	And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the LORD.
13	And he gathered unto him the children of Ammon and Amalek, and went and smote Israel, and possessed the city of palm trees.
14	So the children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.
15	But when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised them up a deliverer, Ehud the son of Gera, a Benjamite, a man lefthanded: and by him the children of Israel sent a present unto Eglon the king of Moab.
16	But Ehud made him a dagger which had two edges, of a cubit length; and he did gird it under his raiment upon his right thigh.
17	And he brought the present unto Eglon king of Moab: and Eglon was a very fat man.
18	And when he had made an end to offer the present, he sent away the people that bare the present.
19	But he himself turned again from the quarries that were by Gilgal, and said, I have a secret errand unto thee, O king: who said, Keep silence. And all that stood by him went out from him.
20	And Ehud came unto him; and he was sitting in a summer parlour, which he had for himself alone. And Ehud said, I have a message from God unto thee. And he arose out of his seat.
21	And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly:
22	And the haft also went in after the blade; and the fat closed upon the blade, so that he could not draw the dagger out of his belly; and the dirt came out.
23	Then Ehud went forth through the porch, and shut the doors of the parlour upon him, and locked them.
24	When he was gone out, his servants came; and when they saw that, behold, the doors of the parlour were locked, they said, Surely he covereth his feet in his summer chamber.
25	And they tarried till they were ashamed: and, behold, he opened not the doors of the parlour; therefore they took a key, and opened them: and, behold, their lord was fallen down dead on the earth.
26	And Ehud escaped while they tarried, and passed beyond the quarries, and escaped unto Seirath.
27	And it came to pass, when he was come, that he blew a trumpet in the mountain of Ephraim, and the children of Israel went down with him from the mount, and he before them.
28	And he said unto them, Follow after me: for the LORD hath delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand. And they went down after him, and took the fords of Jordan toward Moab, and suffered not a man to pass over.
29	And they slew of Moab at that time about ten thousand men, all lusty, and all men of valour; and there escaped not a man.
30	So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest fourscore years.
31	And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath, which slew of the Philistines six hundred men with an ox goad: and he also delivered Israel.

Chapter 4[edit]

Verse	King James Version	Proposed Conservative Translation	Analysis
1	And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD, when Ehud was dead.
2	And the LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, that reigned in Hazor; the captain of whose host was Sisera, which dwelt in Harosheth of the Gentiles.
3	And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD: for he had nine hundred chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel.
4	And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time.
5	And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in mount Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment.
6	And she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedesh-naphtali, and said unto him, Hath not the LORD God of Israel commanded, saying, Go and draw toward mount Tabor, and take with thee ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun?
7	And I will draw unto thee to the river Kishon Sisera, the captain of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his multitude; and I will deliver him into thine hand.
8	And Barak said unto her, If thou wilt go with me, then I will go: but if thou wilt not go with me, then I will not go.
9	And she said, I will surely go with thee: notwithstanding the journey that thou takest shall not be for thine honour; for the LORD shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman. And Deborah arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh.
10	And Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh; and he went up with ten thousand men at his feet: and Deborah went up with him.
11	Now Heber the Kenite, which was of the children of Hobab the father in law of Moses, had severed himself from the Kenites, and pitched his tent unto the plain of Zaanaim, which is by Kedesh.
12	And they shewed Sisera that Barak the son of Abinoam was gone up to mount Tabor.
13	And Sisera gathered together all his chariots, even nine hundred chariots of iron, and all the people that were with him, from Harosheth of the Gentiles unto the river of Kishon.
14	And Deborah said unto Barak, Up; for this is the day in which the LORD hath delivered Sisera into thine hand: is not the LORD gone out before thee? So Barak went down from mount Tabor, and ten thousand men after him.
15	And the LORD discomfited Sisera, and all his chariots, and all his host, with the edge of the sword before Barak; so that Sisera lighted down off his chariot, and fled away on his feet.
16	But Barak pursued after the chariots, and after the host, unto Harosheth of the Gentiles: and all the host of Sisera fell upon the edge of the sword; and there was not a man left.
17	Howbeit Sisera fled away on his feet to the tent of Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite: for there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite.
18	And Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said unto him, Turn in, my lord, turn in to me; fear not. And when he had turned in unto her into the tent, she covered him with a mantle.
19	And he said unto her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water to drink; for I am thirsty. And she opened a bottle of milk, and gave him drink, and covered him.
20	Again he said unto her, Stand in the door of the tent, and it shall be, when any man doth come and inquire of thee, and say, Is there any man here? that thou shalt say, No.
21	Then Jael Heber's wife took a nail of the tent, and took an hammer in her hand, and went softly unto him, and smote the nail into his temples, and fastened it into the ground: for he was fast asleep and weary. So he died.
22	And, behold, as Barak pursued Sisera, Jael came out to meet him, and said unto him, Come, and I will shew thee the man whom thou seekest. And when he came into her tent, behold, Sisera lay dead, and the nail was in his temples.
23	So God subdued on that day Jabin the king of Canaan before the children of Israel.
24	And the hand of the children of Israel prospered, and prevailed against Jabin the king of Canaan, until they had destroyed Jabin king of Canaan.

Chapter 5[edit]

Verse	King James Version	Proposed Conservative Translation	Analysis
1	Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day, saying,
2	Praise ye the LORD for the avenging of Israel, when the people willingly offered themselves.
3	Hear, O ye kings; give ear, O ye princes; I, even I, will sing unto the LORD; I will sing praise to the LORD God of Israel.
4	LORD, when thou wentest out of Seir, when thou marchedst out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, and the heavens dropped, the clouds also dropped water.
5	The mountains melted from before the LORD, even that Sinai from before the LORD God of Israel.
6	In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied, and the travellers walked through byways.
7	The inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel, until that I Deborah arose, that I arose a mother in Israel.
8	They chose new gods; then was war in the gates: was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel?
9	My heart is toward the governors of Israel, that offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless ye the LORD.
10	Speak, ye that ride on white asses, ye that sit in judgment, and walk by the way.
11	They that are delivered from the noise of archers in the places of drawing water, there shall they rehearse the righteous acts of the LORD, even the righteous acts toward the inhabitants of his villages in Israel: then shall the people of the LORD go down to the gates.
12	Awake, awake, Deborah: awake, awake, utter a song: arise, Barak, and lead thy captivity captive, thou son of Abinoam.
13	Then he made him that remaineth have dominion over the nobles among the people: the LORD made me have dominion over the mighty.
14	Out of Ephraim was there a root of them against Amalek; after thee, Benjamin, among thy people; out of Machir came down governors, and out of Zebulun they that handle the pen of the writer.
15	And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah; even Issachar, and also Barak: he was sent on foot into the valley. For the divisions of Reuben there were great thoughts of heart.
16	Why abodest thou among the sheepfolds, to hear the bleatings of the flocks? For the divisions of Reuben there were great searchings of heart.
17	Gilead abode beyond Jordan: and why did Dan remain in ships? Asher continued on the sea shore, and abode in his breaches.
18	Zebulun and Naphtali were a people that jeoparded their lives unto the death in the high places of the field.
19	The kings came and fought, then fought the kings of Canaan in Taanach by the waters of Megiddo; they took no gain of money.
20	They fought from heaven; the stars in their courses fought against Sisera.
21	The river of Kishon swept them away, that ancient river, the river Kishon. O my soul, thou hast trodden down strength.
22	Then were the horsehoofs broken by the means of the pransings, the pransings of their mighty ones.
23	Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of the LORD, curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof; because they came not to the help of the LORD, to the help of the LORD against the mighty.
24	Blessed above women shall Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite be, blessed shall she be above women in the tent.
25	He asked water, and she gave him milk; she brought forth butter in a lordly dish.
26	She put her hand to the nail, and her right hand to the workmen's hammer; and with the hammer she smote Sisera, she smote off his head, when she had pierced and stricken through his temples.
27	At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay down: at her feet he bowed, he fell: where he bowed, there he fell down dead.
28	The mother of Sisera looked out at a window, and cried through the lattice, Why is his chariot so long in coming? why tarry the wheels of his chariots?
29	Her wise ladies answered her, yea, she returned answer to herself,
30	Have they not sped? have they not divided the prey; to every man a damsel or two; to Sisera a prey of divers colours, a prey of divers colours of needlework, of divers colours of needlework on both sides, meet for the necks of them that take the spoil?
31	So let all thine enemies perish, O LORD: but let them that love him be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might. And the land had rest forty years.

Chapter 6[edit]

Verse	King James Version	Proposed Conservative Translation	Analysis
1	And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years.
2	And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel: and because of the Midianites the children of Israel made them the dens which are in the mountains, and caves, and strong holds.
3	And so it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came up, and the Amalekites, and the children of the east, even they came up against them;
4	And they encamped against them, and destroyed the increase of the earth, till thou come unto Gaza, and left no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor ass.
5	For they came up with their cattle and their tents, and they came as grasshoppers for multitude; for both they and their camels were without number: and they entered into the land to destroy it.
6	And Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites; and the children of Israel cried unto the LORD.
7	And it came to pass, when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD because of the Midianites,
8	That the LORD sent a prophet unto the children of Israel, which said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I brought you up from Egypt, and brought you forth out of the house of bondage;
9	And I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all that oppressed you, and drave them out from before you, and gave you their land;
10	And I said unto you, I am the LORD your God; fear not the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but ye have not obeyed my voice.
11	And there came an angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abi-ezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites.
12	And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour.
13	And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the LORD be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt? but now the LORD hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.
14	And the LORD looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee?
15	And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.
16	And the LORD said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man.
17	And he said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, then shew me a sign that thou talkest with me.
18	Depart not hence, I pray thee, until I come unto thee, and bring forth my present, and set it before thee. And he said, I will tarry until thou come again.
19	And Gideon went in, and made ready a kid, and unleavened cakes of an ephah of flour: the flesh he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot, and brought it out unto him under the oak, and presented it.
20	And the angel of God said unto him, Take the flesh and the unleavened cakes, and lay them upon this rock, and pour out the broth. And he did so.
21	Then the angel of the LORD put forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and there rose up fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes. Then the angel of the LORD departed out of his sight.
22	And when Gideon perceived that he was an angel of the LORD, Gideon said, Alas, O Lord GOD! for because I have seen an angel of the LORD face to face.
23	And the LORD said unto him, Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shalt not die.
24	Then Gideon built an altar there unto the LORD, and called it Jehovah-shalom: unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abi-ezrites.
25	And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said unto him, Take thy father's young bullock, even the second bullock of seven years old, and throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath, and cut down the grove that is by it:
26	And build an altar unto the LORD thy God upon the top of this rock, in the ordered place, and take the second bullock, and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the grove which thou shalt cut down.
27	Then Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as the LORD had said unto him: and so it was, because he feared his father's household, and the men of the city, that he could not do it by day, that he did it by night.
28	And when the men of the city arose early in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was cast down, and the grove was cut down that was by it, and the second bullock was offered upon the altar that was built.
29	And they said one to another, Who hath done this thing? And when they inquired and asked, they said, Gideon the son of Joash hath done this thing.
30	Then the men of the city said unto Joash, Bring out thy son, that he may die: because he hath cast down the altar of Baal, and because he hath cut down the grove that was by it.
31	And Joash said unto all that stood against him, Will ye plead for Baal? will ye save him? he that will plead for him, let him be put to death whilst it is yet morning: if he be a god, let him plead for himself, because one hath cast down his altar.
32	Therefore on that day he called him Jerubbaal, saying, Let Baal plead against him, because he hath thrown down his altar.
33	Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the children of the east were gathered together, and went over, and pitched in the valley of Jezreel.
34	But the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet; and Abi-ezer was gathered after him.
35	And he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh; who also was gathered after him: and he sent messengers unto Asher, and unto Zebulun, and unto Naphtali; and they came up to meet them.
36	And Gideon said unto God, If thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said,
37	Behold, I will put a fleece of wool in the floor; and if the dew be on the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the earth beside, then shall I know that thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said.
38	And it was so: for he rose up early on the morrow, and thrust the fleece together, and wringed the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water.
39	And Gideon said unto God, Let not thine anger be hot against me, and I will speak but this once: let me prove, I pray thee, but this once with the fleece; let it now be dry only upon the fleece, and upon all the ground let there be dew.
40	And God did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.

Chapter 7[edit]

Verse	King James Version	Proposed Conservative Translation	Analysis
1	Then Jerubbaal, who is Gideon, and all the people that were with him, rose up early, and pitched beside the well of Harod: so that the host of the Midianites were on the north side of them, by the hill of Moreh, in the valley.
2	And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me.
3	Now therefore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Whosoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early from mount Gilead. And there returned of the people twenty and two thousand; and there remained ten thousand.
4	And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people are yet too many; bring them down unto the water, and I will try them for thee there: and it shall be, that of whom I say unto thee, This shall go with thee, the same shall go with thee; and of whomsoever I say unto thee, This shall not go with thee, the same shall not go.
5	So he brought down the people unto the water: and the LORD said unto Gideon, Every one that lappeth of the water with his tongue, as a dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself; likewise every one that boweth down upon his knees to drink.
6	And the number of them that lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, were three hundred men: but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink water.
7	And the LORD said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand: and let all the other people go every man unto his place.
8	So the people took victuals in their hand, and their trumpets: and he sent all the rest of Israel every man unto his tent, and retained those three hundred men: and the host of Midian was beneath him in the valley.
9	And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said unto him, Arise, get thee down unto the host; for I have delivered it into thine hand.
10	But if thou fear to go down, go thou with Phurah thy servant down to the host:
11	And thou shalt hear what they say; and afterward shall thine hands be strengthened to go down unto the host. Then went he down with Phurah his servant unto the outside of the armed men that were in the host.
12	And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the children of the east lay along in the valley like grasshoppers for multitude; and their camels were without number, as the sand by the sea side for multitude.
13	And when Gideon was come, behold, there was a man that told a dream unto his fellow, and said, Behold, I dreamed a dream, and, lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the host of Midian, and came unto a tent, and smote it that it fell, and overturned it, that the tent lay along.
14	And his fellow answered and said, This is nothing else save the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel: for into his hand hath God delivered Midian, and all the host.
15	And it was so, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and the interpretation thereof, that he worshipped, and returned into the host of Israel, and said, Arise; for the LORD hath delivered into your hand the host of Midian.
16	And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put a trumpet in every man's hand, with empty pitchers, and lamps within the pitchers.
17	And he said unto them, Look on me, and do likewise: and, behold, when I come to the outside of the camp, it shall be that, as I do, so shall ye do.
18	When I blow with a trumpet, I and all that are with me, then blow ye the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and say, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon.
19	So Gideon, and the hundred men that were with him, came unto the outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch; and they had but newly set the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers that were in their hands.
20	And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow withal: and they cried, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon.
21	And they stood every man in his place round about the camp: and all the host ran, and cried, and fled.
22	And the three hundred blew the trumpets, and the LORD set every man's sword against his fellow, even throughout all the host: and the host fled to Beth-shittah in Zererath, and to the border of Abel-meholah, unto Tabbath.
23	And the men of Israel gathered themselves together out of Naphtali, and out of Asher, and out of all Manasseh, and pursued after the Midianites.
24	And Gideon sent messengers throughout all mount Ephraim, saying, Come down against the Midianites, and take before them the waters unto Beth-barah and Jordan. Then all the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and took the waters unto Beth-barah and Jordan.
25	And they took two princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb; and they slew Oreb upon the rock Oreb, and Zeeb they slew at the winepress of Zeeb, and pursued Midian, and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon on the other side Jordan.